A lack of enthusiasm embodied me as I entered the Regent Theater on Saturday night for the Australian opening of Love Never Dies, the sequel to Andrew LLoyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Having seen the show twice at the Adelphi Theater in London I had a fair idea of what I was in for and quite honestly I felt that the two previous times where more than enough to convince me that this show, no matter how hard LLoyd Webber tries, simply does not work. How wrong I was. This is a brand new show from Overture to Curtain and even the familar story and score seemed to rise in this herculean effort by an Australian creative team led by Director Simon Phillips and Designer Gabriela Tylesova. The vast minimalist expanses of the Adelphi stage were now filled with a carnival of lights, carousels, and a cast of freaks and outcast characters that finally gave the show the vibe it needed. One cannot help but be wowed by the spherical design employed by Tylesova in the Coney Island Waltz in the early stages of Act 1, and in reality, it is the design of the show that is its star attraction. That and Phantom Ben Lewis. Lewis' character is vocally as powerful a Phantom that I have seen. However, it wasn't Lewis' vocal ability that won me over, it was his tender acting performance. So much so that what in the past was a particularly unmoving final scene became one of the most finite and complete in recent memory. The audience either side of me were fossicking for their handkerchiefs and it left me wishing I had brought one myself.
Today we are setting our sights on the revamped, rewritten version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical sequel to THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA which opens this weekend in Australia - the once-slightly muddled, but melodically rich and dramatically rife LOVE NEVER DIES. Simon Phillips - known for his extravagant opera productions, as well as his musicals such as the recent Australia premieres of William Finn's SPELLING BEE and the Australian, Toronto and Broadway productions of PRISCILLA: QUEEN OF THE DESERT, which just opened this season - has completely re-imagined the show complete with roller coasters, carousels and more thrills than Coney Island - which is just as it should be given the story! Finally - thrills, chills and some operatic trills. Plus - showgirls, freaks, a carousel, the Phantom's son, and more! Down once more to the Phantom's lair we go…
It's just been announced that taking principal roles in the new Australian production of LOVE NEVER DIES are Maria Mercedes, Sharon Millerchip and Simon Gleeson, joining the previously announced Ben Lewis as The Phantom and Anna O'Byrne as Christine. They will join the rest of the cast, which are yet to be announced, when rehearsals start in just a few weeks.
The continuation of Broadway's longest-running musical The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies will open in May 2011 at the Regent Theatre.
It's now been announced that starring as The Phantom and Christine will be Ben Lewis as the Phantom and Anna O'Byrne as Christine. Nearly 900 entertainers are said to have had auditioned for the parts.
59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Inspector Sands with the US premiere of HYSTERIA and IF THAT'S ALL THERE IS, created by Inspector Sands, with Associate Direction by Joseph Alford (HYSTERIA) and Lu Kemp (IF THAT'S ALL THERE IS). Running in rep at the 2010 Brits Off Broadway festival, HYSTERIA and IF THAT'S ALL THERE IS begin performances on Tuesday, December 7 for a limited engagement through Sunday, January 2.
59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Inspector Sands with the US premiere of HYSTERIA and IF THAT'S ALL THERE IS, created by Inspector Sands, with Associate Direction by Joseph Alford (HYSTERIA) and Lu Kemp (IF THAT'S ALL THERE IS). Running in rep at the 2010 Brits Off Broadway festival, HYSTERIA and IF THAT'S ALL THERE IS begin performances on Tuesday, December 7 for a limited engagement through Sunday, January 2.
The new musical romance DOCTOR ZHIVAGO stars Anthony Warlow as the ardent young Doctor Yurii Zhivago; LUCY MAUNDER as the alluring Lara; TANEEL VAN ZYL in the role of his wife Tonia; Martin Crewes as political radical Pasha Antipov; Bartholomew John as corrupt attorney Viktor; and Peter Carroll and TRISHA NOBLE in the roles of Alexander and Anna, Tonia's parents. The cast recently performed a preview of the show and BoradwayWorld brings you photos of the event below!
The critically acclaimed Brits Off Broadway festival, host to the UK's most innovative and provocative theater in New York City, returns this year with a line up of nine sensational productions.
Producer John Frost today revealed the full cast of the explosive new musical romance DOCTOR ZHIVAGO. Already announced are the lead cast members-? ANTHONY WARLOW as the ardent young Doctor Yurii Zhivago; LUCY MAUNDER as the alluring Lara; TANEEL VAN ZYL in the role of his wife Tonia; MARTIN CREWES as political radical Pasha Antipov; BARTHOLOMEW JOHN as corrupt attorney Viktor; and PETER CARROLL and TRISHA NOBLE in the roles of Alexander and Anna, Tonia's parents. The ensemble supporting cast includes a brilliant and talented mix of experienced and
new performers.
Shortened Attention Span Presents A frightening festival of short plays by some of New York's most disturbing artists. Get ready for Halloween this October by joining us for this year's: '2010 Horror Festival'
The critically acclaimed Brits Off Broadway festival, host to the UK's most innovative and provocative theater in New York City, returns this year with a line up of nine sensational productions.
Shortened Attention Span Presents A frightening festival of short plays by some of New York's most disturbing artists. Get ready for Halloween this October by joining us for this year's: '2010 Horror Festival'
The LYRIC THEATRE was built in 1925 as a silent movie house and was operated until the depression when it was closed and eventually sold. Over the next 50 years it was bought and sold to various concerns and used in a variety of manners.
The LYRIC THEATRE was built in 1925 as a silent movie house and was operated until the depression when it was closed and eventually sold. Over the next 50 years it was bought and sold to various concerns and used in a variety of manners.
'FULL' Saturday, November 7, 2009; 3:00pm - $7, Sunday, November 8, 2009; 7:00pm - $7, Location: The Tank at 354 W. 45th Street, New York, NY 10036
A new physical theater piece that investigates the messy terrain between fierce idealism, vitriolic rage, paralyzing pessimism and joyous ecstasy. FULL celebrates the exhilarating torture of knowing how much there is to experience and knowing you will never touch it all.
'FULL' Saturday, November 7, 2009; 3:00pm - $7, Sunday, November 8, 2009; 7:00pm - $7, Location: The Tank at 354 W. 45th Street, New York, NY 10036
A new physical theater piece that investigates the messy terrain between fierce idealism, vitriolic rage, paralyzing pessimism and joyous ecstasy. FULL celebrates the exhilarating torture of knowing how much there is to experience and knowing you will never touch it all.
'FULL' Saturday, November 7, 2009; 3:00pm - $7, Sunday, November 8, 2009; 7:00pm - $7, Location: The Tank at 354 W. 45th Street, New York, NY 10036
A new physical theater piece that investigates the messy terrain between fierce idealism, vitriolic rage, paralyzing pessimism and joyous ecstasy. FULL celebrates the exhilarating torture of knowing how much there is to experience and knowing you will never touch it all.
